Fresh Cilantro Focaccia

Last night when I was trying to figure out what to do with my Fresh Cilantro Cottonseed Oil from Acala Farms*- click to read my full product review: here - I realized that I had no bread in the house. It was almost midnight. That made my decision for me: I would make focaccia dough, let it rise overnight, and bake it fresh in the morning. I need to remember to do it more often. Freshly baked bread is so much better than a packaged loaf, isn't it? And this is so easy.

Ingredients

• 2 C warm water
• 1 T active dry yeast
• 1 T granulated honey (you can use granulated sugar)
• 5 C flour, plus additional for kneading
• 1 T freshly chopped cilantro
• 1 T freshly ground sea salt for sprinkling
• 1/2 t freshly ground pepper for sprinkling
• olive oil for greasing your bowl
• oil for drizzling on your focaccia (I used the Fresh Cilantro Flavor-Infused Cottonseed Oil from Acala Farms)

Procedure

Combine the warm water, yeast and granulated honey in a small bowl. Let the yeast bloom for 10-15 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and fresh cilantro with the yeast mixture. Beat with a wooden spoon until the dough comes together. Continue to knead for 5 to 6 minutes until it becomes smooth and soft. Sprinkle with more flour if the dough is really sticky.

Coat the inside of the bowl lightly with olive oil and return the dough to the bowl and turn to coat. Cover it with a dish towel and leave it overnight. If you're not doing this overnight, let it rise for at least an hour.

When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a jelly roll pan with parchment paper. Turn the dough into the jelly roll pan. Stretch the dough to fit the pan. Then press your fingers through the dough, making dimples all the way to the pan, all over the dough. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, then, drizzle with oil over the top.

Bake the dough until the top of the loaf is golden brown, about 20 to 25 minutes. It should be firm to the touch. Remove the focaccia from the oven and let it cool before cutting and serving.

The cilantro flavor was unmistakable. So, if you're one of those for whom cilantro tastes like soap, definitely skip this. But, if you love cilantro like I do, give this a try. You can also use whatever infused oil you have in your pantry.

*DISCLOSURE: I received two complimentary bottles of Acala Farms Flavor-Infused Cottonseed Oil for my participation in an upcoming blogging event...and for the purposes of review.  I have received no additional compensation for this post and the opinions expressed here are my own and the recipe shared in the review of this product was not sponsored.

If you're interested in trying the Acala oil, here's an affiliate link to their product on Amazon. I do receive a small commission if you purchase through this link. If you are uncomfortable with that, feel free to search for "Acala cottonseed oil" on your own.